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Emma Abbate & Julian Perkins (piano duet)
Pianists Julian Perkins and Emma Abbate have come together to record the first of two volumes of the complete piano duets of Mozart on original fortepianos.

Some of Mozart’s lesser-known works, his piano duets span most of his active life, with the earliest written at the age of nine. Often delightful and lyrical as well as humorous and exciting, these works are given an authentic air on period instruments. Included on this first volume are duets in D major K381, C major K521 and B-flat major, K358. Also included is a duet by Johann Christian Bach, with whom the infant Mozart is alleged to have played keyboard duets whilst sitting on the older composer's lap.

The two original fortepianos used in this recording form part of the Richard Burnett Collection of early keyboard instruments: a grand fortepiano by Johann Fritz (Vienna, c. 1815) and a travelling piano by Anton Walter (Vienna, c. 1805). This album represents the final recording made at Finchcocks Musical Museum.

'Julian Perkins & Emma Abbate play with a delightful sense of the often playful quality of these pieces, revelling in the power and vitality of the faster Italianate movements as well as the gentler central slow movements [...] Their ability to play in perfect time together is exemplary'Andrew Benson-Wilson (andrewbensonwilson.org)

'Successful piano duet playing places particular demands on the performers and here the two pianists are working very well together'Lark Reviews